The Society of Automotive Engineers – Australasia (SAE-A) has taken a leading role in developing two major initiatives for registration and accreditation of automotive engineers.

As the Asia Pacific professional body for automotive and mobility engineers, it is a stakeholder in schemes being developed at both international and Victorian state levels.

Globally, SAE-A is a launch supporter for an international automotive engineers' accreditation program being developed by FISITA, the international membership organisation for the automotive and mobility systems engineering profession.

At state level, it is a member of the Stakeholder Reference Group implementing the Professional Engineers Registration Scheme, which will cover all categories of engineering.

SAE-A Chairman and CEO Adrian Feeney said the Victorian scheme would initially cover structural, civil, mechanical, electrical and fire safety engineering, with the potential for further categories in future, including automotive.

"We understand it will focus initially on engineers in the construction sector, but it will eventually extend to the automotive industry, which is where our interest lies," he said.

"There is a lot of speculation among automotive engineers as to how the scheme will affect them, and we hope to ensure its impact will be beneficial.

"Australia has thousands of automotive engineers working in diverse roles, including some 2,000 employed here by car companies alone, so it's a complex sector to cover effectively.

"We appreciate the opportunity afforded us by the Victorian Government to ensure we have a voice in forming the regulations that will underpin the operation of the scheme."

At a global level, SAE-A is one of 12 automotive engineering representative bodies to sign on as launch supporters of the FISITA International Engineers' Certificate.

FISITA signed an agreement with China SAE last month to deliver the Certificate in early 2020, based on an agreed a set of automotive engineering qualification standards.

It will enable Members of FISITA societies to achieve global recognition via the FISITA International Engineers Certificate, and to record their individual status within the International FISITA Register.

Mr Feeney said the scheme was designed to provide engineers with universal recognition which would be transportable anywhere in the world, and enhance talent management for global organisations.

"With rapidly advancing technology and increasing globalisation, an agreed standard of recognition to chart an engineer's capability can help to improve international human resource management," he said.

"The FISITA initiative aims to stimulate the growth of engineering talent, support the development of engineers' capability, and strengthen the quality and ethics of engineering and end-product.

"SAE-A is pleased to join with eleven other launch supporter societies from Europe and Asia to help establish a truly international recognition program for automotive engineers."